The present invention relates to apparatus and methods for pressing juice from a foodstuff.
Pressing juice from a foodstuff has been known for centuries and has recently seen an increase in interest due to the documented health benefits of drinking juice pressed from foodstuffs such as vegetables, fruits and nuts, for example. There are many types of machines for pressing juice, from extremely large industrial machines to smaller counter-top machines. Some machines can process juice on a continuous line basis while others can process juice on a batch basis.
In its most basic form, juice pressing may involve the cutting or reduction of size of the foodstuff (typically called “maceration”) so as to increase the surface area of the food pieces which increases accessibility of the plant cells containing the juice. The macerated foodstuff is then placed in the machine which includes some type of press to compress the macerated foodstuff which causes the cells to break open and release the juice. The juice is separated from the pressed solids (typically called “cake” or “pomace”).
It is desirable to extract as much juice as possible from the foodstuff in the shortest time possible while also minimizing machine downtime. It is furthermore desirable to minimize the time between juice making batches in a batch type pressing machine. It is yet furthermore desirable to have a pressing machine which prevents or at least minimizes travel of the solids and/or juice from the pressing chamber to other parts of the machine. It is even furthermore desirable to have a design which simplifies the cleaning of the machine in between juicing operations. While juice pressing machines have been developed that attempt to address these desired features, there remains much room for improvement. A need therefore remains for an improved juice pressing machine that addresses and meets all of these desired features.